


A Little Healthy Competition

by ems_specter



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Background Relationships, Everyone Is Alive, Fluff, M/M, Romantic Comedy, author took some concepts from the movie but still created her own happy world, some movie references, something bucky never asked to be a part of but is a part of anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-10-07
Packaged: 2018-12-23 10:06:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11987601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ems_specter/pseuds/ems_specter
Summary: Bucky doesn’t know what is up with all these Avengers kissing the fella he likes. He has to do something about it.ORThe numerous times an Avenger—whowasn’tBucky—kissed Tony and the one time he was finally the one who kissed Tony.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was originally going to finish it first then post it as a one shot but I got so excited and since I'm practically halfway done, I'm like, ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯.
> 
> Everyone's happy here because I love swimming in the Nile, okay?
> 
> This isn't betad or edited, so sorry for the mistakes.
> 
>  
> 
> (The kamoji can be found [here](http://japaneseemoticons.me/meh-emoticons/).)

**_1_ **

The future (present?) never fails to fascinate Bucky. He loves how fast everything is now—from information gathering to food. He likes how transportation is faster than before and how _beautiful_ all these new technology are. He’s always been a fan of machines but they never really had the means for him to pursue what he wants back then. But, even with his adoration for the quickness of everything today, he still prefers the slow burn of wanting to be with someone romantically, of wanting to be with someone for the long run instead of just a roll in the sheets. He still believes in _wooing_ someone, of _courting_ them to show them you’re serious of wanting to have them as your gal or your fella.

Which is why he has never made a ‘move’ on Tony, as the young people say.

Tony is gorgeous and smart and _wonderful_ and he _deserves_ to be _wooed_. He deserves the absolute best—nothing less.

So Bucky would leave these little trinkets at the workshop that remind him of Tony, or give him gifts now and then, like flowers and chocolates and little accessories he made. Tony always looks so pleasantly surprised and grateful.

It doesn’t take long for the rest of the residents of the tower to figure out his affection for the genius.

“You could just tell him?” Steve always says.

“No, Stevie. Tony deserves to be _wooed_. I’ll not have him thinking I just want him for his body.” Steve always gets a confused look on his face whenever he says this but remains quiet, nonetheless.

“Just kiss him, Barnes.”

“Yeah, dude. Put us out of this misery.” Natasha and Clint would always tag team him this way, but he just ignores them.

Lieutenant Colonel _call me Rhodey_ Rhodes always looks at him with a certain amount of pity and amusement but just shakes his head then moves on.

He’s not sure if it’s serious or not, but they have a bet going, too.

“I’m betting on Tony making the first move.” He overhears Bruce say one night.

“I believe Sergeant Barnes would be victorious in his endeavor and will initiate the intimacy.” Thor.

“Nah. I’m with Bruce on this one.” Steve. Some best friend. “Tony may be trapped in his insecurities but with the right nudge, he’ll make the first move. Bucky’s just too stubborn.” Yep. Fuck you, Stevie.

“I thought we weren’t interfering?” Pietro.

“I think we can consider a _tiny_ nudge in the right direction as a _friendly help_ and not interference.” Natasha. Seriously. What is up with these people?

“Nah. I’m with Thor on this. Barnes will break first. Tony doesn’t realize when someone has the hots for him.” What the fuck? Rhodes? Is every Avenger but him and Tony there?

“Let’s just set our bets. Tony will be suspicious if me, Pietro, Peter and Vision don’t show up for the new training simulation he made.” Wanda. So every Avenger is really in that little meeting.

Bucky just walks away and tries to forget everything he heard.

(Later, he would realize forgetting what he heard was some sort of mistake. Maybe. He still isn’t sure.)

Three weeks later, after the conversation he eavesdropped on and forgot, Tony walks in the kitchen, half asleep. His hair is in complete disarray, he’s wearing a shirt twice as big, looking like he’s drowning in it somehow.

He looks both adorable and _delectable_. How is that even possible?

Anyway. He comes in looking all adorably rumpled and Bucky just... He just _can't_ because Tony is the most beautiful being he has ever seen. He can write songs dedicated to Tony's beauty. He's not even a fucking writer, _Jesus!_

Back on the topic, though. He's also pretty sure that the [shirt](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DHzlUVlU0AAdVYW.jpg) belongs to _Steve_ because he remembers Nat giving it as a gag gift for his birthday last year.

(For some reason, people like the idea of Tony and Steve being in a romantic relationship. Frankly, he couldn’t see the appeal. _At all_. And no, fuck you, he isn’t _jealous_. He's the fucking Winter Soldier, damn it! He doesn’t get jealous, especially of his best friend, _fuck off, Steve_.)

So, yes, Tony's wearing Steve’s _Ask me about my ship_ shirt with the Captain America shield on one side and the slash thing of Stark Industries at the top, which, with the front lifted high enough, has a print of Steve and Tony about to fucking _kiss_.

_Deep breaths, Barnes_ , he tells himself. He's afraid he break _something_ if he keeps on thinking what's on the other side of that shirt.

“Hey, Tony.” Steve greets cheerfully, placing a plate of bacon and eggs and bread, and a cup of coffee in front of their tech genius. The other man simply groans and starts digging in, moaning when his brain processes the taste of good food.

Bucky can feel his fingers twitching from the desire to touch the other man.

“Are you wearing my shirt?” Steve asks as his brain finally, _fucking finally_ , processes what Tony's wearing. The blond's voice is fond, though, which means he doesn’t mind _at all_.

Tony hums. “You left it in my room.” He mumbles and Bucky is struggling to keep himself from breaking the mug he's holding.

_What does that even mean?_

He knows for a fact Steve has a thing with Sam ( _for fuck's sake, Barnes, it's not a_ thing. _It's a fucking committed relationship, something you obviously want to have with Tony_ ). He knows, logically, Steve isn’t the cheating kind and he knows Tony doesn’t like the idea of cheating either—whether he's the one doing the cheating or being cheated on, or he's the one being used to cheat on someone. So, yeah, nope, nothing to be—

_What the?_

Steve is suddenly in Tony's space, leaning down and kissing his forehead. “Keep it.” Steve mumbles, fondness evident in his voice as Tony leans into him annnnd now they're staring at him. “You okay, Buck?” Steve asks and if it’s anyone but Bucky, it sounds like there’s only concern there, but they’ve been friends long enough to know _amusement_ is there and is more evident than concern.

The little shit knows what he's doing.

Tony's concerned frown, eyes down on the mug Bucky's holding, makes him look down and, _shit_. No wonder they look concerned. He totally broke the mug and now he's also bleeding. He is, unfortunately, holding the mug in his right hand. _Damn_.

“Fine.” He mumbles gruffly, hastily cleans his mess and hightails it out of there.

_He. Is not. Fucking. Jealous. Shut the fuck up._

 

**_2_ **

 

Bucky absolutely _loathes_ these fucking galas. He knows it’s for a good cause but god fucking damn it! Humans are annoying. Oh, wait, that’s doing children a disservice; correction, _adults_ (and sometimes teens) are fucking annoying.

He's in his stupid penguin suit and, it’s not uncomfortable, per se because it's a tailored one, but he still prefers his simple Henley and jeans and comfortable boots. He always feels like an impostor whenever he dons his suits, as if he’s pretending to be more than _what—who_ he is.

He doesn’t like it. _At all_.

Well, there _is_ an upside to it—Tony looks absolutely _divine_ in a suit. His ass is always, _always_ the highlight and Bucky can’t thank Ray enough for being a fantastic tailor. The man knows how to make the best asset just pop out. Tony's waist also looks a little slimmer, his shoulders broader.

That aside, Bucky usually stays in one corner or at the bar of there is one after mingling for a bit. He may not enjoy these events but he does know how to pull his weight.

“Help!” Bucky perks up, hearing Tony's frantic voice. He turns slightly and finds the other man with Natasha, back tense and hands shaking a little.

He's about to go over when Natasha smiles softly then cups the back of Tony's neck, pulling him down for a kiss.

It’s a good thing he isn’t holding anything this time.

He stays there for a moment, watching with narrowed eyes when they pull away, enough for Natasha to murmur something and for Tony to respond, then he’s leaning back down and. Yeah. Bucky hastily walks away, sends a group text saying he’s reached his quota of human and interaction and is going home.

Also. If he looks like he’s sulking in his room, watching _Notting Hill_ , of all things, while wearing loose sweatpants and a loose shirt, Friday’s his only witness.

_I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her._

Fuck this shit. Fuck Julia Roberts and fuck rom coms. That’s the last time he’s watching one.

“Friday, change the movie please.” He says, before he decides to actually throw something at the TV screen.

The movie starts playing and he assumes it would be about pirates—it’s called _Pirates of the Caribbean_ , for Christ's sake. Unfortunately, Friday seems to have an odd sense of humor because there’s _romance_ in it and, why? Why do they keep on adding romance to everything? Even horror movies have some sort of romance.

_Elizabeth, I should have told you every day from the moment I met you. I love you._

Friday is _definitely_ trying to tell him something.

So he just turns and covers himself with his blanket, knowing Friday will know it’s her cue to turn the movie off.

(Later, much, _much_ later, he will find out Natasha kissed Tony because one of the brunet’s creepy, crazy one night stands was in the same gala and has been pestering Tony in the creepiest way possible. Since Natasha was the one closest to him, Tony decided to go to her for help instead.

Later, he would also find out how amused Natasha was when she saw him grumpily walk away.

That won’t happen until later, though.)

 

**_3_ **

 

Bucky knows Rhodes is Tony's Steve to his Bucky, but it doesn’t change the fact they’re _way too cuddly and handsy with each other, fuck_!

Again. Not jealous. But he’s pretty sure cuddling on the couch while watching a movie is some sort of violation against the 'bro code', whatever that means.

For now, though, he’s going to make good use of the stress ball Tony gave him.

(He may or may not have broken one too many mugs every time someone gets a little affectionate with the genius.

He's also quite sure everyone’s doing it on purpose because they’re all _dicks_.)

So, yes, watching a movie with the team. He's pretty sure the movie's good but he can't focus on it because Tony is now halfway asleep on _Rhode's chest_ and he just can’t, okay?

_[You](n) know that place between sleep and awake? That place where you still remember dreaming?_

Bucky looks back at the movie, the stress ball being abused in his hand.

_That’s where I'll always love you_.

Nope. He looks back at Tony (and _Rhodes_ ).

The stress ball breaks.

Rhodes' lips is on Tony's temple. _Rhodes is giving Tony a kiss on the temple_. That’s too intimate, isn’t it? Especially since they’re already cuddling? And for Tony to lean into the touch? Really, though. He's pretty sure only people in romantic relationships do when they’re cuddling.

(“They’re practically brothers, Buck, probably closet than we could ever be. They've been through hell and back together and they've seen the literal worst of each other.”

Steve will try to reason later but Bucky will be too busy annihilating a punching bag.)

When he looks away, he meets Steve’s eyes, the blond's eyebrows raised in amusement and since Bucky’s a mature adult, he flips the asshole off and just turns back to the movie.

 

**_4_ **

 

Tony rarely gets sick but when he does, he looks _terrible_ and everyone in the tower is protective of him. When he gets sick, he never does it halfway and goes straight to flu with really high fever. Sometimes, especially the first two or three days, Tony doesn’t even have the energy to _move_ and just, Bucky feels horrible on his behalf and, as it turns out, so does everyone else in the tower.

Wanda, with the help of Vision, would cook her mother’s special soup which tastes _divine_ and would spoon-feed the genius if needed. Pietro would bake crackers an incredibly ill person can stomach because his baking has always been Tony’s favorite. Clint, Peter and Natasha would always be around when the genius needs company or in need of entertainment or just someone to talk to. Thor, Steve and sometimes Rhodey, are there for when the genius is feeling cuddly because _I’ve always cuddled with Rhodey, and Thor and Steve are the perfect size to spoon me_ , Tony said once when asked about it. Bucky and Bruce are kind of the all-around, in a way, since he doesn’t really have much to do unlike all the other Avengers (who all seemed to have jobs and school and charity work, for some reason—maybe it’s time he finds one, too?) and Bruce _I’m really not that kind of doctor_ is the only person Tony trusts to check on his health.

So yes, on the rare occasions Tony gets sick, everyone in the tower is tense and worried. And when he gets better, everyone seems to start feeling better as well.

Tony’s fever had gone down, still running a little hot, but a lot better than three days ago. He can now move around for short periods of time, which Bruce says something Tony should do. Currently, Tony’s sitting by the dining room table, his head pressed against the table as everyone moves around him, preparing lunch. Steve has passed by and ruffled his hair gently, a touch Tony leaned into. They all touch him as they pass, as if to remind themselves that Tony is okay and is currently with them.

When the food is on the table—with something lighter for Tony—Bruce presses his lips at the top of Tony’s head before he sits down between the genius and Steve.

It looks so paternal that Bucky didn’t even feel a twinge of jealousy.

 

**_5_ **

 

Bucky has been with the Avengers for almost a year and a half now (one year, three months, three weeks and six days, not that he’s counting) and is celebrating his second Christmas with them—the first where he’s celebrating with _all_ of them present since Thor was in Asgard the year prior, Sam took Steve with him to introduce the blond to his family, Tony had an emergency meeting to attend, and Pietro and Wanda were visiting their parent’s graves.

They’re currently decorating their floor and, as per tradition, they’re doing it the day before Christmas.

(Tony still have the penthouse as a personal home, like the rest of the team have their own homes outside of the Avengers. There are two floors dedicated to the Avengers, though—one serves as a home and the other one for training—and they all usually prefer staying at Stark Tower anyway.)

He, Steve, Vision and Sam are in charge of the tree because they brought in a big one. Natasha, Peter and Clint are in charge of the decorations hanging on the ceiling. The twins are in charge of the food while Tony and Thor are in charge of sorting the decorations and the gifts.

(He’s been told, in a way, of the disastrous Christmas when they left Thor and Tony to decorate _anything_. Until now, neither he, the twins, Vision, Sam or Peter knew what actually happened. All they knew was that having Thor and Tony decorate would be disastrous.)

“Mistletoe!” Peter’s cheerful voice snaps him out of his own focus of decorating the tree. He turns to look at the boy to see him hanging upside down on the ceiling, a sprig of mistletoe in hand, directly above Thor and Tony. Bucky feels his fingers twitch. Worse, he’s holding the star they’re about to place on top.

Tony’s on the fair side at the moment, his natural color returning since fall, which makes the blush on his cheeks quite obvious. Thor looks _ecstatic_ and, really, what the fuck? He’s dating Jane, isn’t he? Why does he look so happy about the thought of kissing Tony?

“Shall we indulge our shield brother?” Thor asks with a smile. Bucky feels his grip tighten. Tony simply shrugs.

_Fuckity fuck fuck shit_.

Thor cups Tony’s face and, upon doing a quick scan of the room, everyone’s looking at the pair expectantly.

_Double fuck_.

Tony smiles shyly up at the blond and tilts his face up as Thor leans down. Their lips meet, probably for longer than is expected, the team cheering loudly when Thor deepens the kiss. The star finally breaks.

At least the cheering drowns out the sound of the ornament breaking.

(And no, his heart didn’t break along with it, _okay_?)


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda and Pietro, Clint, Peter, Vision, Bucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long. I had a hard time doing Peter's and Bucky's. Eheh.
> 
> This isn't edited or betad, so I apologise for any mistakes.
> 
> PS. Hover on some links since there'll be some sort of pop-up or something I can't remember wassit called that will come up, especially on those that genuinely don't have links.

**_6_ **

 

New Year’s is the time the team always, _always_ spends together. Christmas and all the other holidays are typically open but New Year’s is just for them, their own little (huge) family. It’s a time for change, a time for turning a new page, perhaps writing a new chapter and they all agree welcoming another year is best celebrated together.

(The thirtieth of December is when they prepare a big event as the Avengers, a time when they celebrate with the people. It’s when they pacify the media, the publics, in general. It’s when they assure everyone by showing a united front, showing the world they’re strong together, and they will continue to fight for the people. Together.)

They all work together for food preparations, too. The twins are obviously in charge because Wanda is the best cook and Pietro is the best baker (they also have a larger repertoire of recipes). They’re immediate assistants are Vision and, surprisingly, Tony. Wanda has a little more people assisting her since she will be cooking more and there’s more to be done for the dishes she’s cooking as compared to Pietro’s.

Friday’s playing a variety of songs taken from each of their playlists, giving everybody the chance to listen to their preferred song. Right now, Kansas’ _[Carry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5ZJui3aPoQ) On My Wayward Son_ is playing. He thinks it’s from his own playlist, but from the way Tony seems to know all the words and the way Rhodes and Pietro are following along well, he can’t really tell. All he knows is that these men have great taste for music.

Then of course [Spice](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJLIiF15wjQ) Girls just had to play.

Steve and Thor look _ecstatic_. Fuck everything.

Then everyone else starts singing along. Even Natasha.

Pietro pulls Tony, both hands of the genius in his, swinging widely as the chorus hit, then passes the brunet to his sister as the timer for the cake he’s baking starts beeping. Tony’s laughing, head tilted back as the Avengers who have their hands free start dancing around the pair. Bucky can’t help but smile, seeing the genius so _unguardedly happy_. It makes something in his chest tighten, seeing that wide bright smile.

(He stays back, deciding to simply watch, enjoying the amount of joy in friends’—his _family’s_ —faces. It has been a long time since he’s simply enjoyed being surrounded by people, especially people he loves.

He doesn’t even mind Thor and Steve having their arms around Tony.)

They switch partners a little more as one’s job gets finish and the other has to take over until Tony ends up in the middle of the twins, their arms around the genius’ waist with the latter’s arms around their shoulders. As the song ends, they both place a kiss on each of Tony’s cheeks.

Tony’s already flushed red so he doesn’t know if he’s blushing from the twins’ show of affection or from all the dancing.

(He’s glad the twins learned to give Tony a chance.)

 

**_7_ **

 

Valentine’s Day is a time for love— _romance_. And everyone’s been giving him looks and not so subtle hints about asking Tony out. He wants to, _god_ does he want to, but it’s not as easy as they make it seem to be. For some reason, he can’t get a hold of Tony (that’s a lie, he’s been chickening out so he’s avoiding the genius but is making it seem as if it’s a mere coincidence. He’s pretty sure Natasha and Steve know, but he really doesn’t give a damn about their opinion).

Most of the team are in committed romantic relationships—Steve and Sam, Wanda and Vision, Clint and Laura, [Pietro and Peter](na), Bruce and Betty, and Thor and Jane. He’s also pretty sure Natasha’s dating Pepper but he has yet to find some proof. Hell, even Rhodes is dating a military woman they haven’t met because, _I won’t let you guys scare her off_. Yeah, screw you, Rhodes, ashamed of your own friends.

He knows Tony’s still single and isn’t as prone to one-night-stands as he was so he’s pretty sure the genius is free on Valentine’s Day. Probably. At least that’s what Pepper told him.

So now, he has a small bouquet of flowers in hand, roses because he’s a cliché like that, waiting for Tony to come out of the elevator to get a late breakfast. He has reservations and everything.

(So he knows most of Tony’s sleeping and eating schedule. Nothing’s creepy about that. _Shut up, Pietro_ ).

The elevator doors start to open and he straightens. He’s a few feet away to give Tony space to walk a little but close enough to be the first one to catch Tony’s eye.

Unfortunately, he doesn’t anticipate Clint suddenly appearing. Stealing a fucking _kiss_ from _Tony_. On the _lips_.

It’s not really his fault he decides to throw the bouquet ( _hard_ ) at the archer’s back then have a hasty exit. He hears a yelp of pain as he finds his own exit. If he’s hoping Clint’s badly hurt, he’s going to claim emotional distress. They’ll believe him, right?

(“Fuckity, what?! If I’d known taking that dare would _kill_ me I would have never accepted it oh god, I think I’m bleeding.”)

 

**_8_ **

 

Bucky hasn’t made an actual move on Tony since Valentine’s Day, and yes, it _is_ Clint’s fault. He won’t be blaming anyone else.  Sure, they still flirt and maybe he upped his game since but he hasn’t done anything as direct as Valentine’s Day.

(“You’ve lost courage haven’t you?” Steve deadpanned before tackling Bucky down the mat.

“Nope.” _Yep_. Bucky gasped as the blond pinned him, trying to get away from the hold. He knew Steve saw through the lie but at least he was a decent enough best friend to let it go.

Seriously, though. It took a _long_ time for him to actually build up that courage and Clint just _had_ to ruin his chance, the fucker. Now he’d rather face an alien army on his own than ask Tony again.)

Right now, they’re at the tower celebrating Peter’s high school graduation since the kid’s practically Tony’s son. The whole Barton family and May Parker, along with a few of Peter’s friends, are celebrating with them.

Each of the Avengers has congratulated Peter already, giving the kid a hug or a pat on the back. Right now, the kid’s talking to Tony, hands moving around excitedly. The older man has a small, fond smile on his face, nodding his head now and then, and laughing when Peter said something funny. Bucky feels something inside him flutter, a smile coming unbidden on his own face. Seeing Tony happy and relaxed always brings him joy.

He turns his attention from the two for a moment, making sure no on uninvited is present. He knows FRIDAY is good at making sure the tower is secure and he’s pretty sure Natasha, Clint, Steve, Sam and Rhodey are doing the same but it never hurts to have more pair of eyes to watch out for threats. He’s also aware there are some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents around, all of which are fond of both Tony and Peter, and that the twins, along with Thor, Bruce and Tony, are always alert.

When he turns his attention back to Peter and Tony, he sees the younger one lean up and place an absentminded kiss on Tony’s cheek as one of his friends ushers him away. Tony looks so flabbergasted that Bucky can’t help the smile on his face. The genius’s shock then turns into fondness, a small, soft smile on his face.

Bucky couldn’t be happier that Tony and Peter found each other.

 

**_9_ **

 

Tony likes to sleep on the couch, especially after spending most of the night in his workshop (or a nightmare, even if no one says it), saying it’s comfortable but they all know it’s because someone is almost always in the living room or in the kitchen. It’s also somewhat in the center of their rooms and, since it’s close to the kitchen where someone usually goes to at night for a glass of water or milk or juice, someone’s presence is almost always there.

(“I think he doesn’t like the feeling of being alone.” Natasha told him once while taking a break from sparring. “He has his own room on the floor for the Avengers even though his penthouse is just a floor above. He likes the feeling of family he has with us.”

 _Lonely childhood_ , Bucky’s mind supplied. He’s read the files. Maria Stark might have done her best and was probably a good mother but nothing hurts more than having a physical parent yet an absent one. He was aware Howard wasn’t abusive intentionally but the man had been negligent of his son and believed in the so called ‘tough love’. Bucky couldn’t really blame Tony for hating and loving the man at the same time.)

Tonight, Bucky wakes up due to hunger, since he fell asleep without eating dinner the night before. His room is closest to the kitchen so it doesn’t take long for him to get there.

After munching on some homemade granola bars, he moves to the living room to check if Tony’s there. It’s a habit everyone now has, to make sure Tony would be comfortable if he’s ever sleeping on the couch. Tony takes good care of them, it’s the least they could do.

He doesn’t expect to see Vision there, sitting quietly on the small couch beside the one Tony’s currently sleeping on. From where he is, he can see Vision’s eyes are close, as if he’s simply resting. His gaze quickly moves to Tony, though so he sees the moment the genius’ face scrunches, as if in discomfort. _Nightmare_ , he thinks, already moving to maybe comfort the other man as Tony starts to make low whines, but before he gets there, Vision’s already kneeling by the sleeping genius, shushing gently with a hand on the top of Tony’s head.

“It’s alright, you’re safe.” Vision whispers and, surprisingly, leans down to kiss the brunet’s forehead. Instantly, Tony relaxes with a sigh.

Bucky decides Tony will be just fine in Vision’s hands and goes back to his room.

(Later, Vision will tell him he found out his voice soothes the genius, “I assume it must be because his Jarvis and I share the same voice.”)

 

**_10 (+1)_ **

 

Bucky doesn’t really know why he needs another suit. He knows it’s a big deal, Stevie getting married, but he already has four perfectly made and perfectly good suits but here he is, standing at the tailors and being poked at. He doesn’t really know why he still needs to be present, they already have his measurements but according to Tony, it’s still best for them to be present for the final adjustments.

(The tech genius has volunteered to foot the bill for the wedding but both Steve and Sam have made sure Tony wouldn’t do such a thing.

“It’s _our_ wedding, Tony. Me and Sam’s. We’ve both saved up for this. You don’t have to pay for _anything_ , simply having you is enough.”

According to Sam, there was more to that speech. And that it was quite moving. He was also told Tony had gone teary-eyed but he denied it to the heavens.)

The whole team’s with him so he thinks it’s fine. Steve’s smile is so wide it hurts Bucky’s face just seeing it.

The [girls](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/46/cb/6f/46cb6fd0eee49d32ba1ec650ae4aed74.jpg) are done, since there are only three of them. Their dresses are somewhat silver-y in colour (“It’s _champagne_ coloured, James!” Yeah. It’s silver, no matter what Pepper says), he thinks it’s some sort of sweetheart dress from the cut above the chest with cloth on the right shoulder, serving as a sort of fancy strap. A black fabric is wrapped around at the waist as the dress flows an in inch or two below the knees.

Most of the [boys](http://g03.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB14VOmJFXXXXXfXFXXq6xXFXXX9/Groom-tuxedo-suit-mens-striped-suit-Two-Button-Notched-Lapel-Grooms-Tuxedos-Navy-Blue-Men-Suits.jpg) are done as well, seeing as both Bruce and Rhodey have already been to the tailor’s earlier for the final fitting. Their suits are two-piece suits, as compared to his and Tony’s, and the grooms’. They have a white dress shirt underneath a black coat (“It’s _navy_.”) and a dark blue skinny tie to complete the top, and black dress pants.

His and Tony’s suits are different from the others because they were the best men.

(Steve was torn from choosing between Tony and Bucky, seeing as they’re both his best friends. Since Bucky’s gotten close to Sam as well, he simply suggested Tony be Steve’s best man and he can be Sam’s. Rhodey, who Sam was contemplating as his own best man, was okay with it.

“I’ll be Tony’s best man no matter what, anyway.”

The pointed look at his direction wasn’t missed as Rhodey said this.)

All four of them are wearing three-piece suits but are all different. [His](http://www.fashionchip.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/best.jpg) own suit is simply black, except for the dress shirt underneath, which is white. The coat is single-breasted with a thick lapel (He’s been told his and Tony’s suit, and Sam’s, are all English cut suits, whatever that means). [Tony](http://www.englishbespoketailors.com/images/new/products/EasyCapture19.jpg)’s suit is pinstriped, maybe two to three shades lighter than his own and is single breasted as well. Obviously, the guy’s necktie has to be _gold_ , of all colours.

[Steve](http://g01.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1srZjOFXXXXa4aXXXq6xXFXXXY/VORELOCE-brand-font-b-english-b-font-font-b-style-b-font-men-business-gentleman-font.jpg)’s suit is less formal and more modern which surprisingly looks good on him. It’s a dark charcoal, single-breasted and lacks a lapel. The buttons on his vest are dark brown (“ _Amber_ , James!”) and his necktie is a skinny dark blue (“ _Navy_!”). [Sam](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/29/d1/4c/29d14c5573c36eda78f22f56df270305--three-piece-suits-grey-three-piece-suit-wedding.jpg)’s suit is a lighter type of charcoal, more or less grey and is single-breasted as well with large lapels just like his and Tony’s suits. His dress shirt is the only one that has dark blue stripes instead of the plain white they’re all sporting. His necktie is a dark red (“ _Maroon_.”) which works well for him.

(The ceremony itself, along with the reception, will be a private affair, but they will be releasing the footage of the wedding to the public since Captain America’s wedding _is_ a big deal.)

A few more moments of poking here and there and they’re _finally_ done. They stop by their favourite pizza place before going their separate ways to help Steve and Sam finalise the details for the wedding. By the time they’re all back at the tower, there’s take out waiting for them, thanks to Friday, so they can all just stuff themselves with food and be ready for bed soon after.

(Both he and Tony were originally planning on taking the grooms for separate bachelor’s party but both Sam and Steve would rather just hang out with the team on their last day of being unmarried men, the losers.

“Strippers!” Tony had exclaimed, puppy dog eyes in place, and Bucky had wholeheartedly agreed. Strippers and bar hopping and getting wasted were supposed to be the highlights of a bachelor’s party.

“[It’s](na) about hanging out with your friends, like a last hurrah before married life.”

“ _Hurrah?!_ ” Sam had mouthed, a horrified expression on his face, as if he’s contemplating if it’s too late to back out of getting married to a loser like Steve.)

The day of the wedding is _perfect_ , as if god himself is blessing Steve and Sam’s union which, maybe he is? Those two deserve all the happiness the world has to offer so he will not be surprised if every deity out there is blessing the couple’s wedding.

They’re all in their fancy clothes and are all dolled up. Even the men are wearing makeup.

The wedding and the reception are both taking place at Tony’s renovated Malibu mansion, both for privacy and security measures. There are people who can take care of any Avengers related missions for the rest of the week, just to be safe.

Tony’s Malibu residence has a wide garden where the ceremony takes place. The garden is practically divided into two parts—half where the actual ceremony will take place while the other half is where the reception will take place.

The wedding [ceremony](http://designervsdeveloper.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Outdoor-Wedding-Decoration.jpg) is simple with white, fancy-looking wooden foldable chairs lined up on each side. The aisle has white rose petals strewn on it, leading to the altar, where a simple arc rests and a short table as a sort of division between the one who will officiate the wedding and the couple to be wed.

The half where the [reception](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/16/7d/82/167d82f5eba90fa9d4a71fd498e31b4a.jpg) will take place is pretty simple as well. The wooden chairs are the same but are simply coloured as actual wood, surrounding round tables with a small arrangement of flowers. The tables are arranged in such a way that it forms a sort of semicircle, with only about a third missing, but is filled instead with a rectangular table placed on top of a makeshift stage where Sam and Steve will be sitting. The empty space in the circle is for the dances.

Both Steve and Sam are walking down the aisle, side by side. Clint goes first, leading the walk down the aisle to their positions, and walk to the left side, followed by Peter, goes to the right. Consecutively, Pepper, Vision, Bruce, Wanda, Thor, Pietro, Natasha and Rhodey follow the same pattern Clint and Peter started. He and Tony walk side by side then separate at the end of the aisle—Tony walking to the left and Bucky to the right, since Steve will be standing on the left and Sam on the right.

When the grooms finally enter, everyone stands and turn their bodies to watch the two. Bucky feels his eyes burning and, as he looks around, he can tell most of their team, their _family_ , are close to tears as well. He doesn’t really know why they’re getting teary when practically nothing will change except for the fact Steve and Sam are _married_ and will be having certain legal advantages to aide each other in case of emergencies.

When Steve and Sam finally reach the end of the aisle where Agent Coulson (who knew the man had a licence to wed people?) will wed them, Bucky is sure Steve’s eyes are shining and, from the brief glance he gave Tony, Sam’s probably close to tears, too, from the way Tony’s grinning.

“[We](na) are gathered here today to witness the union of two souls separated by time but reunited by fate.” Coulson starts after asking them all to sit back down, his tone serious and quite solemn. “We are fortunate enough to see these two men defy all odds and now give their vows to each other.” He ends with a smile, keeping it short. Coulson doesn’t bother to ask if anyone’s against the union. Nobody in their little and their group of friends is against the two getting married.

Coulson gestures towards him, asking for the ring and asks Sam to say his vows.

Sam’s vow is light-hearted which gets a little too serious at times but he never fails to make Steve and the crowd laugh, which is just fine. The real serious ones, like when he talks a little about Riley, makes Sam pause and take a deep breath but Steve’s right there, smiling reassuringly which seems to help the other man.

When Sam’s done saying his vows, he slips the ring onto Steve’s finger. Coulson then gestures towards Tony and asks him for the ring.

Steve’s vow is heart-warming, a few jokes here and there just to lighten the mood, but inevitably reverts back to soft and serious and romantic. He may or may not have been sniffling by the end of it but he knows no one will tease him about it since most of them were close to tears.

(Steve talking about how lost he felt after Bucky fell off the train really hit him hard. He knows they may be a little co-dependent, being orphans in a time of war and they probably wouldn’t have grown out of it if not for the fall and if not for the help and support of the Avengers, Sam and Tony specifically. They may have changed a lot, maybe not as dependent on each other, but they’re still brothers in soul no matter what happens.)

When Steve finally slides the ring on Sam’s finger, they all applaud the couple, some wolf whistling here and there, making the couple laugh.

“With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you a wedded couple. You may kiss the groom.” Coulson says the last part dryly but there is a smile on his face. The loud applause when they kiss is deafening but Bucky couldn’t care less. His best friend is now a married man and he’s _happy_ and _in love_.

At the reception, both he and Tony give their speeches. Embarrassing the newlyweds is their theme and they’re _excellent_ at it, thank you very much.

Tony talks about the numerous times Natasha has set him up with various women and that one time when Tony himself was the one she setup for Steve. “Seriously, it was embarrassing for everyone involved but that _date_ did bring us closer so I’m not complaining.” Tony says with a shrug. “Oh, and let’s not forget fondue.” Tony winks at Steve’s red face, the blond shaking his head and hiding his face with his hands, “Yep. Dear old dad told me that story.” Tony continues to embarrass Steve with more stories, most about their escapades during their off time, like the one time they almost got arrested for a reason still unknown to everyone.

When Bucky’s turn to speak comes, he gives them a charming smile and starts with, “The first time Sam came to me for help, it was about whether he should move his relationship with Steve further.” He pauses with a smirk, eyes on Sam who practically slammed his forehead on the table and Steve who seems to be trying to hold back laughter. “And yes, I meant _sex_.” He says the last word with a mock scandalous expression. Most believed Steve was a virgin but they were so fucking wrong. Steve’s always had a man here and there before the serum, because they liked his small stature. After the serum, more women came into the picture and few other men here and there, most wanting to be held. “And since I’m a good friend, I just told him to fuck Steve if he wanted to.” Sam’s definitely slamming his head on the table now. Steve’s trying to comfort him but he’s still chuckling.

Just like Tony’s speech, his own is full of embarrassing stories he has collected about Sam. One example of this is when Sam practically burned their whole floor trying to cook for Steve. At the time, it was a little scary but looking back, Sam, covered in ash with really wide eyes as if he couldn’t figure out what the hell went wrong, was the funniest thing in the world. Wanda, with Bucky and Tony’s help, ended up cooking.

After the speeches, it’s time for their first dance as a married couple. The [soft](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXN-m49MHO0) sound of a piano starts playing, the strategically placed speakers filling the space with the beautiful music. Steve and Sam have their arms around each other, their cheeks touching, as they sway gently, slowly moving from one place to another.

When the dance ends, the crowd give them another applause, for which they bow to. The next [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxy80QvnMwA) starts and the couple moves together once more. This is also his and Tony’s cue to open the floor to the other pairs they had planned and for the other couples in the guests.

Bucky takes Tony’s left hand in his right, his left wrapped around the tech genius. Tony, in turn, places his free hand on his shoulder.

“Best Man duties accomplished.” Tony says with a small smile as they dance around the floor, the other pairs following.

“Personally, I think we did great.” Tony throws his head back with a loud genuine laugh and Bucky gives himself a mental pat on the back. When smaller man’s laughter finally dies down, he rests his head on Bucky’s shoulder, a little close to his chest. Bucky can feel his heartrate accelerate and unconsciously pulls Tony closer.

“You know we don’t have forever, right?” Tony whispers when the next [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFD02LYcw4k) starts.

Bucky freezes, having an idea what the shorter man could be talking about. He can’t seem to find the words to say.

Tony pulls back a little, looking at him in the eye. The shorter man pulls his hand from Bucky’s shoulder, tucking a strand of hair that has fallen loose behind his ear and lets that same hand slide to the back of the taller man’s neck. Tony smiles softly, his hand soft but firm on Bucky’s skin. The shorter man lets his eyes fall to Bucky’s lips, a silent question.

And really, what else could Bucky do in response except take Tony’s mouth in a long but soft kiss.

(Later, Peter will be jumping up and down, saying he should sing Derek Gust’s [I Do](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br_-4wPy7eo) on their wedding.

When they get married the following year, they do let the youngest Avenger sing for their first dance.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to write another Winteriron inspired by one of my Malec fics and I think it's going to be short so I'll finish that first. I have a few others planned (ie. an Aladdin AU, which I have been trying to write for a while now; and that sequel I'm still thinking of actually writing or not or just not going with something romantic). So, yeah. But before all that, I'll have to take a break because of my thesis since I joined NaNoWriMo this year and signed up for the Winteriron Holiday Exchange so I really need to finish my thesis before then.
> 
> Peace out! \m/

**Author's Note:**

> You can yell at me on [Tumblr](http://starkbarnes-lovechild.tumblr.com).
> 
> PS. I've also joined a Winteriron Discord [server](https://discordapp.com/invite/xHveQCX). They're all pretty nice people. You can lurk and wait for them to share their works or works they like and fawn over all of it like I do since I have the social ability of a rock. And share some of my work now and again. And ask advice now and again. Also, shout out to Amy on Discord for giving me the idea of putting on Pirates of the Caribbean.


End file.
